NORTHERN MICHIGAN – For many pet owners, finding someone to care for a beloved furry friend during an absence can be stressful.

To help alleviate some of that anxiety, area resident Carol Preuett recently established Whisker Sitters, a company to “provide individually customized pet sitting visits for cats and dogs in their own home environment while their owners are on vacation, traveling for work, working late, staying in the hospital or away from home for any other reason.

Though the business itself is new, Preuett is no stranger to pet care.

“Throughout my life, I have owned several cats and dogs of my own, and have also done a lot of pet sitting for friends, co-workers and relatives,” she said. “I’ve affectionately become known as their pets’ ‘Furry Godmother’ because they depend on me to care for and pamper their pets whenever they go on vacation or can’t be with their pets for other reasons.

“I have also volunteered for several pet-friendly events and charities for many years. I have always had a love for animals, especially cats and dogs … and have personally experienced the frustration and stress related to finding pet sitters who will care for our pets the way I do and keep them on their normal schedule when I can’t be with them.

“I have done pet sitting for many of my friends and relatives for many years and it is something I truly enjoy doing,” she added.

Whisker Sitters currently focuses on dog sitting and cat sitting visits in their own home environment, Preuett explained. Services include an initial complimentary phone consultation, then a “meet and greet” appointment at the client’s home to “gather information about the pet’s normal daily routines and discuss any special needs and preferences.

“This allows me the opportunity to get acquainted with the pets and their home environment, and the pets and clients get to know me,” she said.

Preuett then sets a schedule of half-hour pet sitting visits to provide companionship and care.

“Pet owners can leave their pets in our capable hands, knowing they are in the comfort of their own home and familiar surroundings,” Preuett noted. “Over the years, I’ve realized that many pets need loving attention and playtime as much or more than they may need food and water. It is oftentimes very stressful for them to be away from their owners, and I work to relieve the pet’s stress and anxiety by keeping them on the ‘normal’ daily schedule and routines, and also providing them lots of extra pampering and personalized attention.”

Additionally, she added, “Whisker Sitters also caters to vacationers. Many area local hotels, motels or vacation properties allow pets to stay in the room provided they are not left unattended. If the owners have a special event to attend, want to go shopping, skiing, sightseeing, to the casino or simply want to enjoy a nice evening on the town, Whisker Sitters is available to care for them.”

Preuett typically charges $20 per half-hour visit, and can visit the home up to four times a day, for days or even weeks at a time, she said.

The charge “includes services such as feeding, water replenishment, litter box maintenance, waste disposal, walking, playtime, grooming, etc. In addition to pet maintenance, I can also take out the trash, bring in the mail, water plants, etc. And, if clients are away for an extended length of time, I can also rotate the lighting and window treatments and shovel the porch for a ‘lived in’ look.”

Preuett works hard to cater to each pet’s specific needs.

“Since each pet and their ‘normal’ routine is different, I individually customize the terms for many pet sitting contract agreements based on the information gathered during our initial phone call and ‘meet and greet’ appointment to best suit the needs of the pet and also the clients.”

For details, visit www.whiskersitterstc.com, or log onto www.facebook.com/WhiskerSittersTC. Preuett can also be contacted at 231-645-6458 or WhiskerSittersTC@yahoo.com.
URL: http://www.morningstarpublishing.com/articles/2013/01/21/grand_traverse_insider/business/doc50fd916d4913a434820467.prt